National Post » Lorne Bozinoffhttp://news.nationalpost.com
Tue, 31 Mar 2015 20:58:56 +0000enhourly1http://wordpress.com/http://1.gravatar.com/blavatar/bf69214e83fdd5520e4b5d91ba3b7d64?s=96&d=http%3A%2F%2Fs2.wp.com%2Fi%2Fbuttonw-com.png » Lorne Bozinoffhttp://news.nationalpost.com
24 questions in four minutes: We may have just seen the first of the Tories’ Laureen Harper strategyhttp://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/canadian-politics/24-questions-in-four-minutes-we-may-have-just-seen-the-first-of-the-tories-laureen-harper-strategy
http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/canadian-politics/24-questions-in-four-minutes-we-may-have-just-seen-the-first-of-the-tories-laureen-harper-strategy#commentsWed, 21 Jan 2015 01:37:01 +0000http://news.nationalpost.com/?p=574778

In less than four minutes, the Canadian public may have gotten a closer glimpse at Canada’s first spouse than it had in the last nine years combined.

In the latest episode of 24 SEVEN, a YouTube series produced by the Prime Minister’s Office, viewers get an uncharacteristically intimate look at Laureen Harper — a woman the typical Canadian has seen less of than Michelle Obama.

In the video, we see Ms. Harper with one hand stiffly draped inside the cage of Charlie, the family’s pet chinchilla, as a camerawoman asks a series of 24 questions. They include her perfect day (camping), favourite holiday (“I love Christmas”), and family recipes (she loves to make salsa).

We also learn her favourite karaoke song is Andy Kim’s “Rock Me Gently,” though she insists she’s “the worst singer in the world.” She also collects cat-themed Christmas ornaments, which should come as no surprise given she hosted a cat video festival in Toronto last spring.

Viewers also get a rare look at life inside 24 Sussex, as the camera follows Ms. Harper from an upstairs sitting room where Charlie lives, to the downstairs sunroom — her favourite spot in the residence.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3o2NMyhfEo&w=640&h=390]

The only hint at politics in the video is her favourite TV show of the moment — Borgen, a Danish political drama about a woman who unexpectedly becomes Prime Minister.

As in previous episodes of 24 SEVEN, the production quality is lacking, and the audio uneven. While far from polished, the video suggests the Conservatives are following through with a plan to “leverage Mrs. Harper,” as revealed in a strategy document obtained by the Toronto Star last winter.

The next federal election is slated for Oct. 19 (or earlier) and if Ms. Harper really is a secret weapon, as she has been called, then the Tories are preparing to fire.

While Ms. Harper hasn’t completely shied away from political statements, her public image has largely focused on her role as a mother, outdoors lover and philanthropist.

“The persona of the PM is relatively fixed. As we saw with the attempt to put him in sweater vests, changing our impression of him is difficult,” said Jonathan Rose, a political messaging expert and associate professor at Queen’s University.

“Having his wife stand in for some of the personal qualities he is seen to be lacking, might be one way to soften his image. ”

Related

The video is clearly styled after Vogue’s “73 Questions” video series, in which A-listers are peppered with quickfire inquiries about their families, eating habits, chosen “spirit animal” and the ever-popular “kittens or puppies.”

Ms. Harper’s presence has also been growing on social media, starting with a Twitter account launched two years ago. Since then, Ms. Harper has appeared on Pinterest — where the user base is mostly women — and a Facebook page launched last week. This strategy could suggest an appeal to female voters who are traditionally more likely to vote for other parties.

“I don’t know how much impact things like this have because women are more likely to vote Liberal and NDP because they’re more interested in social issues,” said Lorne Bozinoff, founder of Forum Research.

A poll released by Forum last February found a third of Canadians had a favourable impression of the prime minister’s wife, though half of those polled didn’t know enough about her to have an opinion.